Pests are a nuisance that are unavoidable to most homeowners. Unless you can afford a housekeeper, who’ll clean the house for you, then these critters are inevitable. Sometimes fumigation is not enough in expelling pests unless you pay attention to all stubborn corners.
For survival, these stubborn critters have developed survival tactics. Through hiding in the most unexpected areas, pests have managed to stay unnoticed. Are you still trying to figure out where your pest problem is stemming from? Check in the places below; maybe your answer lies in one of these places.
Under Piles of Wood and Clutter
Sealing your whole house does not guarantee safety from these critters. They still find a way of surviving in your yard. For instance, rodents easily build nests under a pile of clutter and wood on your yard. As long as it’s near a source of food, they can survive under your nose without you noticing.
Mice build their nests from pieces of torn clothes and shredded paper. If you often find torn clothes around your house, chances are there is a mice nest nearby that you are unaware of. To track these rodents down, follow food droppings. As noted earlier, rodents love building their nests near food sources like the kitchen, so to track their nests, just check for food droppings anywhere near your kitchen.
Unless you are a professional exterminator, expelling mice with no professional help is not advisable. Unlike other small pests like spiders, these rodents are not easy to kill. Expelling them requires the use of harmful substances. So, when exterminating them, call a professional exterminator to do the job for you.
On the Ceiling and Wall Cracks
These are probably some of the most stubborn places to reach. Tiny critters have maximized this fact to their advantage by hiding in these areas. Spiders, for instance, tend to build webs on ceiling corners, and moths tend to hang around light sources. If you fail to check your ceiling often, then maybe your pest problems arise from these places.
Another stubborn place is a wall crack. If your house has wall cracks, then they serve as the perfect places for small critters like roaches to set camp. Cockroaches and other bugs tend to navigate around wall cracks without you noticing easily. They mostly move through the ceiling to the wall cracks, and you’ll barely notice their presence.
So, before fumigating your house, check the ceilings and poke in the wall cracks. Chances are your never-ending problems are from these often neglected areas. Also, check your lamps and light bulbs; these are perfect hiding places for some bugs. These small critters don’t require an exterminator. Once you’ve figured out where they hide, spray the area. Unless you have kids around, this is also a viable option of exterminating these nuisance bugs.
Check Your Furniture
The perfect unnoticeable places for pests to hide is in your furniture. Your couch corners might be hosting roaches, spiders, and other bugs. Cleaning your furniture is a rare thing to do for most people. However, what most don’t know is that cleaning your furniture is a necessity.
Pests rarely dwell in clean places. So, if you frequently or even occasionally drop food on your couch. Don’t be shocked if your pest problem persists. Take off your couch cushion covers and clean them. Vacuum the inside of your couches; these areas are notorious for hosting pests like roaches.
Another forgotten place is the closet. The place where you place your clothes can be the source of your pest problem. Your closet corners can host small bugs and even spider webs. Take out the clothes from the closet and check the closet corners for the presence of bugs. Getting rid of pests from your furniture does not require an exterminator, for it’s a manageable task.
The Garage and the Basement
The garage is the most dormant place in your house. With less human interruption and darkness, this place serves as the perfect hiding spot for pests. Most homeowners fill their home garages with packing boxes with old items and clutter, and you might be among them. Unfortunately, what most homeowners fail to know is that these boxes and clutter act as retreat areas for pests.
To curb this menace, declutter your garage frequently. Get rid of unnecessary items and reduce the number of boxes in your garage. Regularly decluttering your garage ends up increasing foot traffic, and as said earlier, pests rarely dwell in areas with much human interruption.
Another area with minimal foot traffic and less interference from light is your home’s basement. Your basement may be a host of pests, especially mice. Just like your garage, most people fill their cellars with old items, especially clunky washing machines and other tools. If you’re among this lot, then check on your basement and call an exterminator to fumigate that area solely. Also, change your basement flooring; old worn-out areas are homes to pests.
These clunkers are mostly dirty and rusty and rarely touched, making them the perfect spot for pests to dwell and remain unnoticeable.
Your Car and Any Junk in the Yard
If you have thoroughly sorted through your basement and garage and still failed to find any signs of pests, then it’s time to check your car. Pests like mice and rats tend to set base in your car trunk. This area is warm for them and mostly an inactive area, so minimal human disturbance.
If you have old junk in your yard, then it’s important to note that they serve as perfect hiding spots. Get rid of old junk; it’s much easier than often sorting through it. One thing to note is that if pests like rodents hide in your car, impending havoc is about to occur.
Mice and rats tend to gnaw and chew wires in your car, hence, ending up spoiling your vehicle. So, to entirely prevent such a scenario from occurring, frequently clean and check your vehicle. To easily catch these rodents, set mouse traps around your home.
Pests cause unexplainable havoc. They mostly go out of their way to survive and can hide in unnoticeable places and leave you with a persistent pest problem. If you’re experiencing this, check in the above locations to track down these nuisance critters.
Resources— The Active Times, Terminix, Aerex